New York City to Ban Large Soft Drinks – Is Your City Next?

By this time next year, residents of New York City won’t be able to buy an absurdly large and absurdly overpriced cup of soda to go alongside their absurdly large and absurdly overpriced vat of popcorn when they are enjoying a movie.

That’s because New York mayor Mike Bloomberg has proposed a ban — which is widely expected to be ratified by the city’s board of health — that would outlaw the sale of sugary drinks that are over 16 ounces.

There are, however, some pretty big exceptions to the rule, which could be enacted as soon as March 2013. Convenience and grocery stores would be exempt, meaning New Yorker’s Big Gulps would be safe for now. Also, juice drinks and dairy-based milkshakes wouldn’t be subject to the ban, even though they often pack more calories per ounce than a Coke or a Gatorade.

Venues city residents will be prohibited from purchasing large sugary drinks from include restaurants, ball parks, food carts, movie theaters, delis and fast food chains. And, yes, Venti lovers — the ban would effect many of Starbucks’ caffeinated concoctions.

Do you think this is a case of the “nanny state” run amok? Or do you agree with Bloomberg that there are no good reasons why a human would consume over 16 ounces of a sugary drink in one sitting?